Talking Guitar

Talking Guitar
Conversations with Musicians Who Shaped Twentieth-Century
American Music

Jas Obrecht

Published by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, in association with the Southern
Folklife Collection, the Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library
© 2017 Jas Obrecht
All rights reserved

Designed by Richard Hendel

Set in Utopia and Transat types by Tseng Information Systems, Inc.
Manufactured in the United States of America

The University of North Carolina Press has been a member of the Green Press Initiative since 2003.

Jacket photograph of Eddie Van Halen by Jon Sievert.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Obrecht, Jas, compiler, interviewer. | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
Title: Talking guitar : conversations with musicians who shaped twentieth-century American music / Jas Obrecht.
Description: Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press in association with the Southern Folklife Collection, the Louis Round Wilson
Special Collections Library, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016039783| ISBN 9781469631646 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781469631653 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Guitarists—United States—Interviews. | Popular music—United States—20th century—History and criticism. |
LCGFT: Interviews.
Classification: LCC ML3477.T35 2017 | DDC 787.87092/273—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016039783
FOR MICHELLE

L’amore della mia vita . . .

Contents

Introduction

1 GUITARCHAEOLOGY: Setting the Stage

2 NICK LUCAS: America’s First Guitar Hero

3 RY COODER: Prewar Country Blues

4 BARNEY KESSEL: The Rise of Charlie Christian

5 CLARENCE “GATEMOUTH” BROWN: “American Music, Texas-Style”

6 ROEBUCK “POPS” STAPLES: Gospel Guitar

7 RICKY NELSON: Remembering Rockabilly

8 CAROL KAYE: The First Lady of Rock

9 STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN: On Jimi Hendrix

10 JAMES GURLEY: “The Yuri Gagarin of Psychedelic Guitar”

11 JERRY GARCIA: “It’s the Next Note, Not the Last One”

12 JOHNNY WINTER: Sliding the Blues

13 GREGG ALLMAN: “My Brother Duane”

14 CARLOS SANTANA: “Put Wings on People’s Hearts”

15 NEIL YOUNG: The Power of One Note

16 EDDIE VAN HALEN: “My First Interview”

17 TOM PETTY: Songwriting and the Art of Rhythm Guitar

18 ERIC JOHNSON: The Journey Inward

19 JOE SATRIANI: The Resurgence of Instrumental Rock

20 BEN HARPER: “The Strongest Spirit in All Creation”

Acknowledgments
Notes
Index
Figures

Alvino Rey, “The Godfather of the Electric Guitar” 15

Nick Lucas, late 1970s 21
Nick Lucas 1935 music book 27
Ry Cooder, early 1970s 35
Lonnie Johnson, circa 1927 39
Barney Kessel, 1980s 53
Charlie Christian jamming with Sam Hughes and Dick Wilson, early 1940s 57
Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown at Monterey, September 17, 1977 68
Roebuck “Pops” Staples in San Francisco, May 11, 1992 81
Ricky Nelson, circa 1981 92
Carol Kaye in Cupertino, California, December 21, 1982 98
Stevie Ray Vaughan in Oakland, California, December 3, 1989 108
Jimi Hendrix onstage at Woodstock, 1969 113
James Gurley in San Rafael, California, September 30, 1978 116
James Gurley and Jas Obrecht interview, September 30, 1978 127
Jerry Garcia in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, September 28, 1975 135
Jerry Garcia and Jas Obrecht interview, January 12, 1985 142
Johnny Winter, early 1970s 154
Gregg Allman at the Oakland Coliseum, October 24, 1975 166
Duane Allman, late 1960s 174
Carlos Santana at the Oakland Coliseum, July 4, 1977 178
Neil Young in Woodside, California, October 30, 1991 203
Eddie Van Halen at the Oakland Coliseum, July 23, 1978 214
Jas Obrecht and Eddie Van Halen backstage in Oakland, July 23, 1978 222
Tom Petty performing in Mountain View, California, June 5, 1987 226
Eric Johnson in Seattle, November 8, 1996 249
Joe Satriani in Berkeley, California, October 16, 1992 256
Ben Harper in San Francisco, May 3, 1994 274